JAKARTA — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has called for stricter regulations and sanctions against those who use slash and burn methods to clear land, as the country struggles to contain wildfires that have been raging for weeks.Indonesia is battling its most intense wildfires in 11 years, with “super El Niño” weather conditions parching the country’s forests and fields. The islands of Borneo and Sumatra have been the worst hit, with the hazardous haze causing a spike in respiratory illnesses.Transboundary pollution has also caused unhealthy air conditions in neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia.Prabowo, in a meeting with his cabinet, said there will be zero tolerance for people or corporations found responsible for starting wildfires.”I have asked the State Secretary and the Minister of Law to look into this further, specifically regarding legal sanctions,” he said.”And perhaps we should ask the House of Representatives to stiffen the laws, classifying this as ‘ecological terrorism’. This is a very serious matter,” he added, according to a palace statement issued late on Wednesday.
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